A Moment of Stillness
by Ysabet.M
Summary: Momiji's wish to be surrounded by family at Christmas results in a party at Shigure's house.


"A Moment of Stillness"  
a Christmas Fruits Basket fanfic by Ysabet MacFarlane (ba087chebucto.ns.ca) 

Original release date: December 24, 2003

----------

In the end Shigure took responsibility for the Christmas party, but it really began with Momiji.

It was mid-December when Tohru noticed how distracted the boy was at lunch. Usually when he ate with her and her friends, he was bubbly to the point of making conversation difficult, but that day he was quiet. It was a slow day, and Tohru, Arisa, and Saki found themselves eating with all four of the Sohma boys. Yuki was too worn out from student council work to do much more than eat and be glad that he'd survived another culture festival, but Kyo and Haru were both in high spirits, arguing the merits of various combinations of strikes and counters. The finer points were sailing far over Tohru's head, but the discussion was certainly distracting, especially when one or both of the boys jumped up to demonstrate their point. As a result, it took her a while to notice that Momiji hadn't said anything at all for a long time.

When she did notice, her attention shifted from Kyo and Haru to him, and Kyo immediately sensed her change in focus. He stopped in mid-sentence and followed her gaze, and Haru followed his. Yuki glanced up when they fell silent, and Arisa and Saki did the same. It took less than ten seconds for Momiji to become the center of attention. Six pairs of eyes peering intently at him made him look up from his lunch, and he blinked at them.

"Huh? What is it, To-ru?"

"Is everything all right, Momiji-kun?"

His answering smile was just slightly off. "Of course!" Saki shook her head at him, and the smile weakened a bit more. "Mostly."

"Spill it," Kyo ordered, leaning on the table.

Momiji shrugged. "It's almost Christmas. It makes me a little sad."

"What's so special about Christmas?" Arisa asked. A wicked smile curved her lips. "None of us are making trips to love hotels this year, are we?" She glanced across at Tohru, and then pointedly at both Yuki and Kyo. Kyo scowled at her, and Yuki coughed uneasily. Tohru only blinked. "None of us have any secret lovers, right?" Yuki kicked Arisa under the table, startling her so much that she fell silent.

"Nope," Haru said mildly, his face expressionless. Yuki gave him a worried look, and Haru shrugged, playing with the earrings in his right lobe. "Why's it make you sad, Momiji?"

"I really like the idea of a family holiday," Momiji replied. "Mutti and Papa told me about Christmas traditions when I was little."

Arisa shrugged. "New Year's is for family. Don't you guys all have a big family thing then?"

"It's a little . . . formal," Yuki said after a moment. "It's probably not quite what he has in mind."

"Your mother's a foreigner, isn't she?" Saki asked. "American?"

Momiji nodded, then shook his head slightly. "She's German. Papa met her when he went to school overseas."

"What'll you be doing for Christmas, then?" Arisa wanted to know. "What do German people do?"

"Papa and Mutti and my sister are going to visit Mutti's family," Momiji said calmly.

Arisa frowned. "You're not going?"

Yuki interrupted before Momiji could think of a good way to respond. "What would you like to do, Momiji?"

The younger boy looked thoughtful. "I don't know. I thought about doing something at the House, but it probably wouldn't be a good idea. I just think it would be nice to have the family together."

"The family, huh?" Kyo muttered.

"Well--" Momiji rubbed his nose. "Probably not the whole family."

Kyo looked at Tohru, whose face was set in concentration. "Hey, are you planning something already?"

She blinked at him, distracted. "Ah . . . no."

Haru laughed, resting his chin in one hand. "You're a lousy liar, Honda-san."

----------

"Shigure-san, have you thought about doing something for Christmas?" Tohru asked over supper. Shigure glanced up from the notebook he was scribbling in.

"Not really. Why?"

Tohru opened her mouth to explain, but Yuki put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Shigure, do you have any deadlines coming up?"

"Not for another month or so."

"Are you sure? You're not 'forgetting' something so you can torment your editor?"

Shigure looked insulted. "What are you getting at, Yuki-kun?"

"Holidays give you too many opportunities to dodge her," Yuki said flatly. "Then the rest of us have to try to tune out her wailing after she exhausts herself chasing you around."

"Ah, that." Shigure sipped his tea. "As it happens, the only thing I'm working on at the moment is a first draft of a novel. Mit-chan told me not to take any small assignments until next year." He paused. "Now that you mention it, I think she said something about wanting to enjoy her holidays this year."

Yuki took his hand off Tohru's arm and went back to eating. "Go on, Honda-san."

She blinked at him, and then turned back to Shigure. "I was wondering if we could do something for Christmas."

"Momiji wants to," Kyo said from the other side of the table.

Shigure grinned. "We could have a party."

"He said something about it being a family thing," Kyo pointed out.

Yuki rolled his eyes. "Who do we know besides family, idiot cat?"

"We can mention it to the other Jyuunishi, of course." Shigure was thinking out loud, counting on his fingers.

"Don't tell Akito," Yuki ordered, narrowing his eyes.

"Would I--"

"You arranged for him to go the villa when we were there," Yuki replied. "Don't tell him, Shigure."

Shigure waved a hand in his direction. "Sure, Yuki-kun. I won't. Let me see . . . we can invite Saki-chan and Arisa-chan, of course . . . and Mayu-chan . . . oh, this could be fun." The three teenagers exchanged uncertain looks. "Just leave the planning to me," he continued cheerfully. "This novel's been giving me a headache lately. But--hmm, Yuki-kun, could you do me one favor?"

----------

Yuki stood outside the classroom, wondering how Shigure had talked him into doing his dirty work. He sighed and rapped lightly on the door, and went in. His teacher looked up as he came in, setting her pen down.

"What can I do for you, Sohma-san?" she asked.

/Mayuko won't come if I ask her/ Shigure had said. /She gets all suspicious./

/So why would she come if I ask her/ Yuki had wanted to know.

Shigure's answering smile had made him vaguely nervous. /Tell her Ha-san will be there./

Yuki cleared his throat. "Um . . . Mayuko-sensei . . . we're having a party on Christmas Eve. At our house. And Shigure asked me to relay the invitation."

A skeptical look crossed her face. "What's he planning now?"

Yuki shook his head. "It's mostly a family party, so I don't think it's totally a scheme."

She frowned slightly. "A 'family' party?"

"He said to tell you Hatori would be there."

Mayuko rested her forehead on one hand. "He never lets up, does he?"

Yuki sighed in commiseration. "No."

----------

Shigure was on the phone when Tohru and the boys arrived home that evening. "But, Ha-san, you have to come!" he was exclaiming. "Mayu-chan's coming." He turned around and shot Yuki a look that clearly said 'she is coming, isn't she?'. Yuki shrugged and headed upstairs, hoping to get out of range before Shigure was free to come after him. His cousin's voice followed him up the stairs. "Yes, she's definitely coming!"

----------

Somehow it all came together despite leaving Shigure in charge. On Christmas Eve he left Tohru and the boys cleaning the house while Hatori drove him to the bakery to pick up the Christmas cakes he had ordered. Momiji tagged along when Hatori came to collect Shigure, and stayed to help with the preparations. His eyes were wide and shining while he watched Kyo stringing lights around the living room.

"You don't get nervous at all on the ladder?" he asked while Kyo worked. The ladder was rickety and old, resulting in Kyo always being the one to change light bulbs or do anything else that involved setting foot on the thing. Shigure's justification of the arrangement--that the cat was the only one who would always be able to throw himself clear if it collapsed under him--made just enough sense that Kyo went along with it.

"Nope, it's fine," he replied. "Just don't get in the way."

"I won't." And for once it was true. Momiji stood perfectly still in the middle of the room, and the lights went up without incident. When Kyo jumped lightly down for the last time and they switched the lamps off and the strings of colored lights on, the room was transformed. Momiji smiled so widely that Kyo didn't have the heart to grumble at him, even when the younger boy called for the others to come and see. "Yuki! To-ru! Come look! Come see what Kyo did!"

Kyo shot Yuki a challenging look when he and Tohru came and peered in from the hallway, but the rat only blinked back, unable to find fault. Tohru squealed almost as happily as Momiji had, and Kyo smiled. "Need any help in the kitchen?" Her happiness was infectious.

Shigure and Hatori drafted all of them to help carry things inside when they returned. The younger Sohmas' jaws dropped as they moved one white bakery box after another into the kitchen, with an array of other bags following. "Did you buy the place out, Shigure?" Yuki asked, counting the boxes when the car was empty. Eight. Eight Christmas cakes. There was nothing to do but open the boxes and peer inside. Yes, eight--eight fluffy heaps of confection, decorated with strawberries. One was so covered with them that the white icing was almost invisible. Shigure grinned.

"That one's for Tohru-kun," he said cheerfully, as he opened a different box and eased out a bowl brimming over with scarlet roses. A small plant was nestled on top of the flowers, and he carefully handed it to Kyo. "That gets hung in that doorway," he instructed, nodding at the laundry room door. "Be careful with it."

Tohru was gazing wide-eyed at the roses. "Shigure-san, they're amazing."

He shrugged slightly. "Just because we don't usually live like the idle rich doesn't mean we can't sometimes," he replied, handing her the bowl. "Those go in the living room, I think." Tohru bent down to inhale the flowers' scent, and came up smiling.

"Come see how pretty Kyo-kun made the room look," she said as she obligingly carried the bowl out of the kitchen.

----------

The party was scheduled to start at six, but the house had been swarming with Jyuunishi for hours by the time Mayuko knocked at a quarter past. Arisa and Saki had shown up shortly after five to help with final preparations and had instead been sternly told that everything was under control and settled into the living room with cups of tea. Having finished most of the cooking by then, Tohru was also escorted out of the kitchen and left with them, followed by Kyo's exclamation of "I can take a bunch of chickens out of the oven myself! Go sit!"

Forbidden to help, the three girls almost fell over each other to answer the door when Mayuko knocked. Teacher and students blinked at each other for a moment, and then Mayuko laughed. "How many girls is that man taking in?"

"Just the one, Mayu-chan," Shigure said brightly, poking his head into the hallway. "But you know you're first in my heart." He batted his eyes. Mayuko rolled hers, and followed the girls into the living room. By the time they had settled around the kotatsu, spreading the quilt over their legs, the room had begun to fill with people Mayuko assumed were Sohmas. They were all younger than she had expected, and she was relieved when Hatori came in and flashed her a smile. Tea was passed around, and someone brought in a large plate of cookies. Shigure put his hands on his hips and looked around as if he was doing a headcount. "I think that's everyone who said they were coming," he said, nodding with satisfaction. "Boys, remember we have ladies present. Mayu-chan, shall we introduce you?"

Mayuko nodded. "That would be nice." She looked around the room, noticing how the soft colored light was playing off the faces around her. Looking at so many Sohmas in one place she could see something like a family resemblance, but it wasn't something she could pin down. The lights reflected interestingly in their eyes. She glanced at her other students; Arisa looked content, but Saki was gazing at their hosts with intent curiosity. Mayuko wondered if there was anything she could do to make the girl take that much interest in class.

"All right. You know Ha-san, of course, and Aya and Momicchi and Ha-kun . . . so. Hmm." He had been gesturing as he spoke, and now paused and looked around thoughtfully.

"Stop making such a production out of it!" Yuki muttered. "She knows almost everyone here. Mayuko-sensei, these are Sohma Kisa and Sohma Hiro--" he nodded at the two youngest Jyuunishi "--and she is Sohma Kagura." The two children were adorable, Mayuko thought, especially the girl. The boy had a wary look in his eyes that made him seem like a miniature adult. The other girl, who looked about the same age as Mayuko's students, flashed a bright smile. "And, Uotani-san, Hanajima-san, those are Sohma Hatori and Sohma Ayame."

"Did you invite anyone who couldn't come?" Arisa looked around. "How many people are in your family, anyway? Are you all cousins?"

Shigure smiled. "No, no--Yuki-kun, Aya, Kyo-kun and I are cousins. First cousins. Well, Yuki-kun and Aya are brothers, I should say." Arisa opened her mouth, looking from Yuki to Ayame, but Shigure continued. "Let me see, now; Kagura is my second cousin twice removed on the other side, and Sa-chan is her second cousin, I think; Ha-kun and Hiro are--"

"Shigure, do stop," Hatori said mildly. "Just say that we're a very extended family and leave it at that."

"Master . . . my father is away, so he couldn't come," Kyo said.

Tohru looked sad. "It would have been nice if Kazuma-san could've come."

Kyo shrugged. "He'll be back next week, so I'll go help him scrub the dojo down. It's ok."

"We invited Ritsu and Rin," Yuki said, "but Ritsu's with his parents, and Rin . . . "

"What did she say when you asked her?" Haru asked.

"She hung up on me," Shigure said.

"I asked her again this morning," Kagura added. "But she gave me one of her scary looks and said she wasn't coming."

"Your sister?" Mayuko asked.

"No, she's my--" Kagura paused and began silently ticking relationship ties off on her fingers. "Um . . . fourth cousin? She lives with me, though." She glanced at her watch. "Kyo-kun, you said you needed to do something to the chicken around now." Kyo got up and headed into the kitchen, shooting Tohru a look when she made to go with him. She settled back down.

"Rin would probably be happier here," Haru said quietly. "Kagura-nee, is your mom home tonight?"

Kagura shook her head slowly. "She has to go to a work party. She offered to stay home with Isuzu, but . . . "

Haru nodded. "Yeah."

"If she'd be happy being here, why wouldn't she come?" Saki asked quietly.

"Because she's stubborn," Haru replied. His eyes darkened, and he took a thoughtful sip of tea before setting his cup on the table. "I'm gonna go get her." He stood up.

Kagura choked. "She won't let you in the front door, Haru-chan. You--" She cut herself off with a sigh. "You know that."

"Yeah, I know. I'm going anyway." He smiled slightly. "I've got a warm coat with me. I'll be fine even if she keeps me on the doorstep."

Mayuko noticed that several of the Sohmas were following this exchange closely and looking confused by it, so she didn't mind not knowing what was going on. She drank some tea while Haru headed into the hallway and began hunting his boots. The girl he'd been talking to--Kagura, Yuki had said?--sighed and stared down at the table. After a minute she looked up again, rummaging through a pocket.

"Haru-chan?"

"Hmm?" Haru poked his head back around the corner.

"Catch." Something small and shining flew through the air, and he snagged it easily. "I don't want you freezing to death." Haru looked into the palm of his hand and smiled.

"Thanks, Kagura-nee. You're an angel." He disappeared again, and after a moment the outside door opened. "I'm leaving now."

"Come home safely," Kagura and Tohru said in unison, echoed by the others in the room. When the door closed again, Kagura smiled in response to Yuki's questioning look. "I gave him my house key."

"Rin'll kill you," he replied, shaking his head but smiling back. "Do you think she'll come?"

Kagura snagged a cookie and took a small bite, delicately licking a loose sprinkle from the top. "I have no idea. Want to take bets on which of them is more stubborn?"

"Haru-nii," Kisa said instantly, the first thing she had said since coming into the room.

"Definitely Rin," Hiro said at the same time.

"Bets are sounding good." Shigure grinned. "Send the cookies over here, would you, Kagura?"

----------

Haru carefully unlocked the door and entered the house, trying not to make any noise. He took his boots off and eased the door shut behind him, closing his eyes to listen for Rin. He stood motionless in the entryway until a faint splash from down the hall told him that she was in the bath; opened his eyes and sighed wistfully. Sneaking up on her in there was something she might have found amusing once, but somehow he doubted it was a good idea now. He took a deep breath and sternly told his heart to settle down. Getting Rin out of the house would involve approaching her as family, not as her ex-boyfriend. He waited until he was sure he had himself under control, acclimatizing himself to the hint of her scent that permeated the house, and only then padded down the hall, silent in sock feet.

When Haru knocked on the door, he heard Rin's faint murmur of surprise before she called out. "Did you forget something?"

"Not exactly," he said clearly, and waited. There was a long, still silence before he heard the splashing of a body leaving a tub with unusual speed. It was only another moment before the door flew open and Rin was standing in front of him, wrapped in a robe and shivering. Haru reminded himself not to pull her against him to warm her. Small damp footprints marked the floor behind her, and she bent to pat at her calves and feet with a towel, not noticing that the movement gave him a clear look at more bare skin than she wanted to display. The sharp contrast between that casualness and her care to cover herself before opening the door drove home the awkwardness between them even before she spoke.

"What are you doing here, Haru?"

"I came to walk you to the party," he replied matter-of-factly.

Her head came up sharply. "What?"

"Christmas party at Shigure-sensei's house," he clarified.

She frowned. "I know what you meant. I'm not going."

Haru blinked guilelessly at her, watching her eyes cloud over with mixed emotions. "I came to get you," he repeated.

"Don't be ridiculous," Rin said, straightening to her full height. It put her eyes at the same level as his chin. She draped the towel over her shoulders and glared up at him. Her skin was flushed from both the recent warmth of the bath and the anger she used to shield herself from the rest of the world; her hair was braided and clipped up, probably to keep it out of the bath water, and it gave her the look of a child playing at being a grand lady. Haru could think of only a few occasions when he had seen her hair up at all.

"I'm not," he replied quietly, not responding to the anger. "You should come."

"No." They stood staring at each other for a long moment. "You should go back and have fun, Haru."

He kept his face blank as he shook his head. "I'm not leaving you by yourself. Either you come with me to Sensei's house, or it'll be just the two of us here." He shrugged very slightly and leaned back against the wall, noticing the faint flicker of desperation that crossed her face. Rin knew he didn't bluff. "Your choice."

"I could just go in my room and lock the door," she pointed out.

"Hmm." Haru gazed back at her, carefully noncommittal. Given the chance Rin could think on her feet much faster than he could, but he was infinitely more patient. And she was badly off-balance. He waited.

It took only a few minutes before she broke her eyes away from his and stormed past him, cursing under her breath. He stood still until her bedroom door shut behind her, and listened for the click of the lock. It didn't come. He smiled slightly and went into the living room to wait for her to get dressed.

----------

The party was a quiet one, but Mayuko found that she was enjoying herself. She noticed that Kyo seemed to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen, which amused her more than it had any right to. He wasn't someone she would have expected to be cooking, and the fact that most of his family seemed to trust him with the task suggested he was good at it. Tohru kept looking as if she wanted to get up and help, but her expression was one of guilt, not of worry. So far the evening was a relaxing one, and it got better when Hatori moved to sit near her. Even Shigure's amused smile didn't bother her too much.

Tohru finally stood up, looking determined. "I'm going to go help Kyo-kun," she announced. Yuki looked as if he was going to protest, but Kagura laughed and shook her head.

"Don't bother, Yun-chan," she said. "See that face? That's the face of a woman who wants to see the state of her kitchen for herself. Right, Tohru-kun?"

"Right," Tohru replied. She took two steps toward the doorway and stopped, blushing. "I mean, it's not my kitchen--"

"Of course it is," Shigure said mildly. "But what'll you do if Kyo won't let you in?"

She gave him what was, for Tohru, probably a dark look. It was adorable. "I'll hug him if I have to."

"What kind of defense is that?" Arisa asked, which was exactly what Mayuko wanted to know.

Kagura shook her head, catching their attention. "That's low, Tohru-kun." She and Tohru exchanged amused glances, and then Tohru skipped out. Arisa and Saki looked confused, and the younger Sohmas exchanged startled glances. What caught Mayuko's attention, though, was that Hatori and Shigure were both laughing quietly. When she started to ask Hatori what was funny about it, he only shook his head and smiled.

Momiji had been sitting with Hiro and Kisa, but he migrated over to Kagura during the following lull in conversation and nestled against her. She blinked down at him in surprise, then shrugged slightly and put an arm around him. He rested his head on her shoulder and stared up at the sparkling lights, silently transfixed.

----------

"You're not supposed to be helping," Kyo said when Tohru came into the kitchen.

She lifted her head and tried to glower at him. "Shigure-san said it's my kitchen," she said sternly.

He blinked back. "So?"

"So I'm helping. What can I do?"

Kyo shook his head at her. "You can't work in here with your hair down, dummy. Got an elastic or something?"

Tohru sifted through her pocket. "Yes." He took it from her and turned her around, coming to stand behind her.

"Hold still," he said quietly, running his hands lightly over her head and pulling her hair back. Tohru stood still while he braided it, gazing at their faint reflection in the frosted window. After a moment she felt the tug of the elastic being secured at the bottom of the braid, and brought her hand up to touch it. It was a smooth plait.

"I didn't know you could braid, Kyo-kun," she said.

He shrugged and dropped his hand on the top of her head. "It's not like it's hard, y'know."

"So what needs to be done?" she asked after they had stood like that for a few moments.

"Um . . . " She turned around to look at him, puzzled. "Well, right now I'm mostly keeping an eye on the chicken."

Tohru frowned slightly. "How much attention does it--oh." Her voice lowered. "Kyo-kun, are you uncomfortable being out there?"

"A little," he admitted. "I know they don't mind me being there--well, except the rat, but whatever--but it feels strange."

"Oh," she whispered. "Can I stay out here with you for a while anyway?"

He peered down into her eyes and smiled a little. "Sure."

She put her hand over his and tugged it down off her head, wrapping her fingers around his. She ignored the fact that doing so made her blush a little, and Kyo pretended not to notice. They slid down to sit on the floor, listening to the sounds of conversation coming from the other room and the faint crackling of the cooking chicken. Kyo squeezed Tohru's hand gently.

"Merry Christmas."

She smiled and closed her eyes happily. "It is."

----------

Mayuko was content to sit quietly with Hatori and watch the younger people interacting. Kisa was braiding Kagura's hair, her face intent with concentration. It was turning into a complex style; Shigure had wandered off and brought in a box of Christmas decorations that he'd purchased, and several thin ribbons were finding their way into the braids. Tohru and Kyo were wandering between the kitchen and the living room, and Kisa had already caught Tohru and added a bow to the braid that was already in her hair. Mayuko wondered how long it would take before the girl mustered the courage to ask Ayame if she could braid his hair; she had been casting hopeful looks at it before she went to work on Kagura. Ayame caught Mayuko's eye with a smile and a wink. He was being more subdued than she had ever seen him.

"I sat him down and told him it would a good Christmas present for Yuki if he kept himself under control tonight," Hatori murmured. "He's doing better than I expected."

"Kagura, how long does it take to get to your place and back?" Yuki asked.

Kagura tilted her head slightly to check her watch, careful not to jerk her hair out of Kisa's hands. "I could have done it by now. He should be back soon."

"Someone's on the road," Shigure said, stretching. "I can hear the neighbor's dog barking."

"And that means someone's on the road?" Arisa looked skeptical.

Saki turned her head and gazed at the outside wall. "He's right. Two people."

Kyo and Tohru wandered in during this last exchange, and Kyo shivered. "I don't want to know how you know that, Hanajima." He dropped bonelessly to the floor and rolled his shoulders. "Good timing, though. Supper's almost ready."

"Two people?" Tohru's eyes lit up. "Hatsuharu-san convinced Isuzu-san to come?"

Saki closed her eyes and cocked her head. "It's him and a woman, so I assume so."

A moment later the outer door slid open, letting a waft of cold air into the house before it was quickly closed again. Kisa finished the braid she was working on and secured it while rustling sounds came from the entryway, and then Haru called "We're back," as he came in. He was followed by a girl whose face, even in the soft glow from the Christmas lights, had the distinctive Sohma stamp. Haru rubbed his hands to warm them as he sat down. "Mayuko-sensei, Uotani-san, Hanajima-san, this is Sohma Isuzu." The girl was radiating tension that flowed into the room with her, but she bowed politely as she stepped into the light, acknowledging Haru's introduction. "Rin, these are Uotani Arisa and Hanajima Saki, and Shiraki Mayuko-sensei is--" He frowned slightly, not sure of what to say.

"Mayuko is a friend of ours," Hatori filled in, glancing at Shigure and Ayame.

Rin nodded slightly and knelt without replying; when she lifted her head Mayuko got her first good look at her, and it was all she could do not to stare. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Arisa gazing at Rin with open admiration. Most of the Sohmas Mayuko knew numbered among the most attractive people she'd ever met, but Rin was still startling. Unlike most of her family, she had no unusual coloring to draw attention, but her face had an eerie beauty, framed by hair as long as Ayame's. And unlike Kisa and Kagura, she was dressed to accent her looks.

Arisa seemed to realize that she was gaping; she shook herself and smiled. "Pleased to meet you."

Rin glanced at her and nodded again. "And you."

"I'm glad you let Haru-chan talk you into coming," Kagura said cheerfully, and Rin shot her a sharp look.

"He blackmailed me, Kagura," she said tersely.

Kagura's smile didn't waver. "Whatever works. Haru-chan, can I have my key back?"

"Sure," Haru replied, fishing it out and sliding it across the table. His hand brushed Rin's arm as he moved, and she jerked away as if she'd been burned. Mayuko frowned, wondering why she had sat beside him if he made her so edgy, then dismissed the thought as none of her business.

Hiro stood up from where he was sitting beside Kisa and Kagura and walked around behind Rin. An uncertain look flickered across his face, and then he put his arms lightly around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. She tensed visibly. "I'm glad you came, too," he said.

"Even though he lost money on you," Shigure added brightly.

Rin stared at him. "What?"

Shigure ran a hand through his hair. "He bet that you were more stubborn than Ha-kun."

Hiro glared at him. "I just said she was. I didn't bet. I told you that I didn't have any money, and even if I did, what kind of respectable adult takes money from kids, anyway? I--" He stopped in mid-tirade and looked down at Rin, who was laughing quietly.

"Behave, Hiro," she said, craning her head around to look at him. "Or Gure-nii will get you back later."

He let go of her and sat beside her instead, giving her a wary look. "Are you in a good mood now?"

Rin shrugged. "Why?"

"Because Kisa will probably want to braid your hair after supper, and she won't want to ask you herself," he replied.

Rin glanced over at Kisa and brought her hand up to touch her hair, coiling a segment of it around her finger. "Braid my . . ?" Kisa gave her a hopeful look, and Rin sighed. "All right. If you want to."

----------

Supper was an energetic affair. Shigure's living room wasn't meant to hold so many people, so Kyo and Tohru produced large bowls full of fried chicken pieces and rice and handed out chopsticks and rice bowls. While they were relaying things from the kitchen, everyone else circled the table. It was close quarters, and it wasn't until everyone had found a place to sit that Mayuko noticed that the Sohmas had shuffled themselves so that she, Saki, and Arisa were seated together and flanked by the Sohma girls. The men and boys sat across from them. She wondered if their family had some sort of segregation tradition; when Tohru and Kyo finished bringing dishes in and sat down, the girl came and found a place between Arisa and Kisa, even though it meant wending her way carefully through the tangle of people.

There was no tidy way to eat fried chicken, although everyone made a valiant effort. By the time they had emptied the bowls of food, there was a lot of teasing and laughter going around. Mayuko wasn't surprised when a deck of cards made an appearance--her students had been using cards to entertain themselves for as long as they'd been in her class. Kagura helped Tohru and Kyo clear the table, and the cards were being shuffled before anyone had settled on a game.

A round of 'Go Fish' was started while the younger people thought about what to play next. Kisa slipped around the table, holding the box of decorations in her hands, and perched beside Rin and Hiro. She murmured something, and Rin glanced at her, eyes softening as she took in the younger girl's earnest hopefulness. She nodded, and Kisa smiled, her face lighting up.

Rin idly followed the game while Kisa carefully combed her hair out and started to braid. Yuki watched them while Kisa worked. The tiger didn't weave any ribbons into Rin's hair, but she was working the top layers into intricate patterns while leaving the bottom part loose. Momiji was in the process of beating Arisa and Kyo at 'Fish' when Kisa lifted a cord of small bells out of the box, their soft chiming catching the attention of the people near them. Rin turned slightly in surprise. "May I put them in?" Kisa asked. Rin blinked at her, her faintly puzzled expression making Yuki wonder if she ever gave thought anymore to her nickname's origin. He reached over and touched the bells, pointedly making them ring again, and after a moment Rin nodded. Kisa gathered the long braids she had made and twined them and the bells together around the crown of Rin's head, securing them with a satisfied expression as the game ended with Momiji looking pleased about his win.

"What's next?" Arisa asked, her eyes sparkling as she glanced around the table. "Who's in? We could use more cards if lots of people want to play . . . "

"I'll play," Hiro said in a deceptively mild voice.

"Don't play anything that needs strategy against Hiro," Haru advised, watching as Arisa dug out a second deck and began shuffling the two together. "He's got the best poker face in the family." Saki gave Hiro a speculative look.

"I'm not part of your family," she pointed out. "That could be fun."

"A challenge?" Hiro asked.

"Mmm," Saki murmured, her face stilling into an expressionless mask. Hiro smiled.

"More bets?" Shigure asked the room at large. "Hiro, if I bet on you and you win, I'll forget that you lost the last one."

"I'm telling you, I didn't bet!"

Rin stood up while they were distracting the room at large, and went out into the hallway. She was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed when Hatori came out and found her. "Isuzu, are you feeling all right?" She shrugged without opening her eyes.

"I'm fine." Hatori made a dubious sound, and she frowned at him. "There isn't anything you can do about it, so stop trying to doctor me, Hatori-nii," she said.

"I'm not very good at that," he replied. "But if you want to sit down quietly for a while, I'd suggest the kitchen. I can tell the others you're guarding the Christmas cakes from Momiji."

She opened her eyes and managed a small smile. "Ok, I'll do that." Her cooperativeness caught Hatori off-guard, and she went down the hall into the kitchen before he could say anything else. He sighed and went back into the living room, where the volume was rising exponentially as Arisa dealt out some hands of cards. Haru came and crouched beside him as soon as he sat down.

"Is Rin ok? She didn't eat much."

"She's just getting away from the noise for a while," Hatori replied, closing his hand on Haru's wrist when the ox straightened up. "Let her be, Hatsuharu. You know she's not used to this kind of thing. She'll come back when she's ready." He let go, and Haru stayed put, his eyes wandering to the door. "Now, do you think I should be backing Hiro or Honda-kun's friend?"

Haru shot him a look and grudgingly let himself be distracted. "Hmm. Good question." He rubbed the tattoo on his arm while he considered it. "I'd go with Hanajima-san. I don't think I've ever seen her lose a card game." He laughed quietly. "See, Yuki and Kyo aren't playing against her. They do it at school for fun, but I'll be surprised if either of them will when there're plenty of people for her to beat."

"Kyo plays games he knows he'll lose?" Hatori asked, surprised.

Haru nodded. "Sure, as long as it's not Yuki beating him." He shrugged, smiling. "He's growing up too, Tori-nii."

"All of you are," Hatori agreed, watching Hiro laying out a few cards. "Some of you are doing it too fast."

Haru looked over at Kisa, who was sitting close to Hiro and gazing at his remaining cards with fierce concentration. "There wasn't any reason not to. Being kids didn't protect us from anything." His calm underscored the harsh memories his words reminded Hatori of more strongly than any bitterness could have.

The doctor looked slowly around the room, at his laughing family, and remembered more than he wanted to: the lost look on Momiji's face when he thought no one was watching; Kisa gazing silently up at him while he treated her injuries; Yuki's inconsolable crying; Rin's broken body on the ground, and the horror he'd felt when he began examining her and realized she was still conscious. He realized after a moment that Haru was watching him as he looked at the others, and turned to face him.

Haru shook his head slightly. "I didn't mean to make you feel guilty," he said. "We all know you've done your best for us." He too glanced at the others, at the faces lit by the soft Christmas lights, and the good-natured arguing as they watched Saki and Hiro trying to outmaneuver each other. Arisa was helping Shigure write down bets, and Mayuko was watching the proceedings with a bemused smile. "We're all right, Tori-nii. Honest." He stood up slowly. "But I am gonna check on Rin." This time Hatori didn't stop him, and he slipped out of the room unnoticed.

----------

Haru found Rin curled up in a chair by the doorway that led to the laundry room, resting her head on her arms. He came in quietly, but she heard him and glanced up. Her face was too pale, and he wondered again if she was sick. "Hey," he said. "Are you ok?"

She almost smiled. "You don't let up, do you?" She straightened up, and he watched as she smoothed the tiredness off her face, leaving a calm mask.

"No," he said, glad that anger wasn't replacing the moment of weakness she had accidentally let him see. He came and leaned against the doorframe, just close enough to hear the soft sound of her breathing. She looked up at him warily, and then something that might have been amusement flicked across her face. "Hmm?" He glanced up and blinked at the small plant fastened over the doorway. "What's that?"

She stood up without coming any closer to him and peered at it. It was a sprig of leaves with small berries. "I'm guessing it's mistletoe," she said after a moment. "People put it in doorways at Christmas, and--" She fell silent abruptly, looking away.

Haru frowned, trying to remember why it sounded familiar. Western traditions tended to get a bit jumbled together for him, especially for holidays he didn't usually celebrate. And then it fell into place. He glanced at her, feeling suddenly awkward as he realized she was being more careful than usual not to look at him. "Should I stand somewhere else?" he asked quietly.

He thought he heard Rin's breath catch, and then she squared her shoulders and shot him a challenging look. The bells Kisa had braided into her hair rang softly as her head moved. "It's tradition, right?"

"That's what I hear," Haru agreed, looking back up at the insignificant plant. It was pretty enough, he supposed.

Her eyes had gone clear and cool. "I can stop if you can." Faint chiming sounds punctuated the toss of her head, barely audible over the sound of conversation leaking in from the living room.

"I can," he said quietly, and they stood looking at each other until he carefully set his hands on either side of her face and bent down to touch her lips lightly with his. It was the most fragile kiss he could imagine. He took one hand away and traced it down the line of her arm, catching her hand and holding it for a moment. He expected her to pull away. Instead her mouth opened slightly under his, with a quiet whimper as if she was in pain, and he found himself kissing her in earnest as she came alive under his touch. Her body shuddered close against his, and he slid his arms around her waist to hold her there. He lifted his head, feeling her heart beating against his chest; his own pulse hammered loudly in his ears, but his voice was almost steady. "I thought it was obvious that I meant 'I can stop if you don't respond'," he managed.

Rin's hands were on his shoulders, opening and closing fitfully. Her cold façade had cracked open, and something much harder to interpret lay exposed. "I'm sorry." Her hair tickled the backs of his hands as she trembled, not pulling back.

Haru kissed her again, running his fingers up along her spine and his mouth down her throat, waiting for her to resist. He remembered the feel of her hand cracking across his face, ending their last embrace. It had been the only instance of violence between them, and the flash of horror in her eyes before she fled was the clearest part of the memory. Now, though, she was pressing into him instead of recoiling, and she was as irresistible as the need to breathe. He made himself focus on her voice, ragged in his ear, instead of on the way her body felt against his. "Damn it," she was whispering over and over, almost sobbing. "Damn it, damn it . . . " Her fingers ran along his sides, stroking instead of pushing. "Haru, please . . . " she choked out, and he heard the plea for what it was. /Please stop me. / He made himself inhale slowly and stand still, forcing himself back under control.

Several minutes trickled by before he gripped Rin's shoulders and stepped back, turning her around so that her back was to him. She offered no resistance, but the exhausted loneliness in her eyes as she moved cut him to the heart. He rested one hand on the top of her head and pushed her hair aside with the other, making the bells chime as he bared her back.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice so fragile that he almost drew her into his arms again. Instead he stared down at the scar gouged into her shoulder blade, imprinting its image into his memory. It was deep and jagged, but had been expertly stitched to minimize the disfigurement. Rin shook under his scrutiny.

"Reminding myself that things are different," he whispered back, running one finger lightly along the line, feeling for himself how the muscles no longer lay quite properly against each other. He wondered if the injury still hurt her; Hatori had mentioned once that she no longer had full mobility in that arm, although she covered it well.

She twisted under his hands, and he let go. "That has nothing to do with anything," she hissed.

"No, I know," Haru said softly. "You're tired of me. It has nothing to do with Akito." He regretted the words immediately; something in her face told him how close she was to shattering. He touched her cheek gently and then stepped away to rummage in the cupboards. Coming up with two glasses, he filled them with water and pressed one into her hand. "You'll feel better," he said, and watched as she slowly lifted it to her mouth and drank.

Eventually she looked steadier, and glanced first at the green sprig and then at the door to the living room. "I feel like sneaking out the back," she said frankly. "I wonder what they're thinking."

Haru shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Nothing happened, right?"

Rin sighed and frowned a little. "It must be nice to always be so calm." He stared back at her, and she sighed again and looked away. "I know you're not. I just get tired of listening to myself sometimes." She hesitated, and then added, "I'm sorry, Haru." There were more layers to the apology than he had the energy to sift through.

"I know," he said after a moment. "It's ok." He touched her shoulder--the undamaged one--lightly, not wanting to feel her flinch again. "Are you ready to go back to the living room?" Rin nodded, setting her empty glass on the counter, and walked back toward the hallway with him a few steps behind her.

----------

In the living room, Kyo and Arisa had fallen into one of the heated arguments that often sprang up out of nowhere when they played cards together, and were on their feet growling at each other across the table. While Rin went to the other side of the room and sat beside Ayame, Haru dropped down beside Yuki and began to listen to the argument. When Kyo gestured to make a point, Haru noticed the bandages on his left fingers.

"What happened to Kyo's hand?" he asked Yuki.

"Huh?" Yuki was being as entertained as everyone else by the fight, and it took him a moment to realize what Haru meant. "Oh, that. He wasn't careful when he was putting the holly up, and he cut himself on it. Honda-  
san patched him up."

"What's 'holly'?" Haru asked.

"One of the Christmas plants. It's got really sharp leaves." Yuki shrugged. "Shigure brought some back from the florist, and got Kyo to hang it up."

A vague suspicion began to form in Haru's mind. "Where is it?" he asked.

"Over the laundry room door," Yuki replied. "It's kind of pretty, but I don't think Kyo's too crazy about it."

"Holly," Haru said, starting to laugh.

Yuki gave him a strange look. "Yeah. Haru, what--"

Haru choked down the laughter and leaned close to the other boy to whisper, "Don't mention it to Rin."

"Um . . . sure." Yuki shook his head. "Sometimes I really don't understand you."

"Sometimes it's just as well," Haru replied as the room quieted down. Tohru had successfully gotten Arisa and Kyo to sit down and resume the game, which neither of them was actually winning. As he watched, Hiro lay his last cards down on the table with a smirk. "Were they just fighting for the sake of fighting?" he asked.

"I think so."

Yuki watched while Arisa began separating the two decks of cards. "We should get two games going at once," she said, picking through them carefully. "Who hasn't played?" She scanned the room and a wicked smile crossed her face. "Mayuko-sensei? Um . . . Ayame-san?" She stumbled over using his given name, but there was no point in addressing anyone as 'Sohma-san' in that room.

"But I don't know how to play cards well," Ayame said, his eyes gleaming with interest. Arisa blushed when he looked at her. "Tori-san, will you help me?"

"I will help," Saki said. Ayame arched a brow at her.

"But of course."

"If Hatori-san helps you, Shigure-san will offer to help Mayuko-sensei to even the odds," Saki continued. "And it would be better if Hatori-san helped her."

Everyone in the room who wasn't used to Saki stared at her, while her schoolmates stared at Hatori and Mayuko. Arisa recovered quickly. "All right. Tohru, you in? Kyon, if everyone's getting help, you work with her. What about you, Prince?"

Yuki hesitated an instant, then shrugged. "Sure. Kisa, pair with me?"

Kisa jumped. "Me?"

He smiled at her. "You've been watching Hiro play, so I bet you know what you're doing."

Arisa grinned and handed the cards to Kyo so he could deal. He shuffled them again quickly and dealt them out, with the ease of someone who had spent countless lunch hours playing. The game, when it began, was a serious one. Yuki played to win against Saki and Ayame--for the challenge of beating her, and to avoid the humiliation of his brother winning against him. Kisa didn't contribute much, but whenever she touched a card he played it, and her instincts were sound. They exchanged grins, but didn't work too hard against Kyo and Tohru, who were also playing to beat Saki.

They were focusing so hard on keeping their friend from winning, in fact, that it took them completely by surprise when the game ended and Mayuko and Hatori had beaten them all soundly. The doctor's expression was only slightly smug, but Mayuko was openly self-satisfied. She chuckled at the looks on their faces. "You aren't the only ones who thought playing cards at school would be more fun than joining clubs," she said. "Learning not to underestimate your teacher is a valuable lesson."

Yuki laughed. "It's not the only thing I learned. Now we know that my brother has the worst poker face in the family."

"It's probably true," Ayame admitted cheerfully. "My natural expressiveness shines through no matter how I try to repress it." Saki shot him a look, and he beamed back at her. Yuki wondered if Ayame made any more sense to her than he did to everyone else.

Kyo jumped to his feet and stretched, letting his body move through its impressive full range of motion. "Ok, when the teacher kicks my ass at cards I say it's time for cake," he said. "It'll take us the rest of the night to eat them all, so we should get started." He offered Tohru a hand, and she let him pull her up. "Ra--Yuki, help us carry a couple of them in?"

"We need to bring plates in, too," Tohru added, her eyes sparkling. "But they're almost too pretty to cut."

Kyo tousled her hair lightly. "Hey, Shigure said one of them was yours, so you'd better eat it."

"You don't have to actually cut it yourself," Yuki added as the three of them went out into the hallway. "Just eat it."

"I really like Christmas cake," she admitted.

Kyo picked one of the boxes up carefully after peering into it. "This one's not yours, so it can go out first." Yuki checked a second one and lifted it while Tohru slid a stack of plates out of the cupboard. "Let one of us get the knife, ok?"

"Ok." They got the cakes to the table without incident, and Yuki went back for a knife.

"We should get Aya to cut them," Shigure said. "He's good at that sort of thing." The boys exchanged glances, and then Yuki shrugged and gave the knife to his brother. Ayame eased the cakes out of their boxes and examined them carefully. He peered down at them from several angles, and then went to work. It was only a matter of moments before both cakes were divided into perfectly even slices which were being slid deftly onto plates. Shigure nodded with approval and shot Yuki an amused look. "Aya definitely inherited all the dexterity that your parents had to pass on." He looked at Saki and Arisa. "Yuki, you must understand, is a sweet boy, but--"

"Shigure, shut up," the 'sweet boy' growled as he took the plates from his brother and began passing them around the room. Ayame's slices were generous, and Kyo had to bring another pair of cakes before everyone in the room had a piece. Then he made a third trip to retrieve Tohru's cake, setting it down carefully in front of her. It was smaller than the other cakes, but the solid covering of strawberries made it look almost imposing.

"I think eight may have been a few too many," Hatori commented, stabbing a berry from his slice of cake and examining it.

Shigure shrugged, unconcerned. "They all looked so good that I got a little carried away."

Hatori shook his head. "I'd believe that if I didn't know you'd ordered them in advance."

"Details, details," Shigure replied, taking a bite of his cake and chewing it thoughtfully. "The important thing is that they taste good, right?"

Hatori ate the strawberry and then some of the slice, and nodded. "It tastes fine, yes." He glanced around the table, and smiled when he caught Mayuko's eye. "What do you think?" he asked her.

She started a little and then smiled back. "I think it's fine. Everything's been nice tonight."

"I worked hard," Shigure said lightly.

Mayuko laughed in spite of herself. "I'm sure you did."

"He did," Momiji said from across the table. He was sitting beside Tohru, who was happily eating her fill of strawberries and occasionally even eating some of the cake. Momiji grinned at her and licked some icing off his fork. "Es ist ein sehr nettes Feier, nicht wahr, Ha'ri?"

"Be polite, Momiji," Hatori murmured back.

"It's a very nice party," Momiji repeated himself, not at all chastened.

Mayuko looked at him in fascination. "You're completely bilingual? I hadn't realized."

Momiji laughed. "I'm not completely fluent in either," he admitted. "My mother's the only one who speaks German perfectly, and she doesn't use it with me anymore." He shrugged. "I use it with Papa sometimes."

"Which language do you think in?"

"It depends on what I'm thinking about." Momiji looked thoughtful. "German works better for me in family situations. Ha'ri understands it pretty well, but he won't speak it back to me."

"My accent is terrible, and you know it," Hatori retorted, not quite keeping a straight face. "Eat your cake."

Momiji grinned. "I need another piece, then." He ate the last bite from his plate, carefully scraping up the stray icing with his fork.

"Well, there's plenty more," Yuki said from the other side of Tohru, shaking his head. "Three more cakes . . . " he added under his breath.

"I can help you with those," Momiji said cheerfully.

"I daresay you can," Hatori said. He turned to Mayuko. "This boy can eat more sweets than any ten other children."

"I have a high metabolism," Momiji said over his shoulder as Ayame gave him another slab of cake.

"So do the rest of us, but none of us bleed sugar if we're cut," Kagura called down the table, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Momiji wrinkled his nose at her and licked icing off a strawberry.

For several minutes after that no one spoke, and the only sounds in the room were of cake being eaten. Then Arisa set her plate down and stretched, looking at her watch. "I can't stay much longer, Tohru," she said. "I told Dad I wouldn't be out too late, and he'll think I'm off with some guy if I don't get home."

"Do you want me to walk with you, Arisa?" Saki asked.

"You don't have to, but if you're leaving anyway I'd like the company," Arisa said.

"So soon?" Shigure said mournfully.

Saki gave him one of her shadowed looks. "It's getting late, and my little brother wants me to watch a movie with him tonight."

Mayuko watched as the two girls stood up and took their plates into the kitchen, returning to hug Tohru. She felt vaguely uncomfortable at the thought of being the only unrelated person left at the 'family' party. /I wonder if I should leave too; I could offer to make sure they get home safely . . . / Then she noticed Saki looking at her over Tohru's shoulder.

"You should stay a while longer, Sensei," Saki said softly.

Hatori glanced up in surprise. "Were you planning on leaving already--" He hesitated so slightly that she almost missed it. "--Mayuko-san?" he asked.

"I--" /I will not blush while I'm in the same room as Sohma Shigure// she told herself sternly. Her face only warmed slightly. "No, I suppose not."

The small smile that always made her heart beat faster curved his lips. "That's good. You're welcome to stay as long as you want."

"Ha-san, I'm supposed to say that," Shigure complained.

"Were you going to say anything different?" Hatori asked. The two men exchanged a quick look, and then Shigure shrugged and turned away.

"Good night, Saki-chan, Arisa-chan," he said as the girls waved from the doorway. "Get home safely."

"We will," Arisa said lightly.

"Thank you for having us," Saki added.

Tohru walked them to the door, and came back looking quietly happy. "It has been fun, hasn't it?" she asked no one in particular, settling down between Yuki and Kyo and casting a fond glance over the room. Hiro and Kisa were curled up in a corner, dozing. "Should I lay out some futons later?"

"I think I'll be leaving soon," Rin said quietly, twisting the end of a braid in her fingers so that the bells she was still wearing rang. If she saw the quick glance that Kagura and Haru exchanged before they both gave her worried looks, she gave no sign of it.

"I'll go when you do," Kagura said. Rin frowned a little.

"You don't have to, Kagura."

"I know."

"Fine," Rin muttered. "Whatever."

----------

Haru stretched out on the floor and closed his eyes while Kagura and Rin got ready to leave, not wanting to make Rin any more uncomfortable by watching her. Despite his good intentions, though, he found himself peering at her through his lashes every couple of minutes. She looked exhausted. /I hope bringing her here was the right thing to do./

After she had her coat on, Kagura came and stood over him. "'Night, Haru-chan."

"Merry Christmas, Kagura-nee," he replied. He watched while she quickly hugged Yuki and Kyo goodbye and waved to the others. Rin nodded a polite but weary farewell to the room at large; just before they left, Haru sat up. "Rin." She glanced back warily at him. "Merry Christmas," he said.

"You too," she said, not quite meeting his eyes. He sighed inwardly as she and Kagura left, and lay back down.

----------

Few enough people remained that it no longer seemed like a party, especially with Kisa and Hiro sleeping, but the atmosphere continued to be comfortable. While Yuki cleared dishes into the kitchen, Tohru found a couple of blankets. She spread one over the children and the other over Haru, whose eyes opened in surprise when its weight settled on him. He gave her an oddly sheepish smile. "Thanks, Honda-san."

"You're welcome." She sat down beside him and leaned on the table. "It's good that Isuzu-san came."

Haru rolled onto his side and rested his head on one arm. "You think so?"

Yuki came to sit with them, switching the kotatsu on as he settled. "It's good for her to know that we want her around," he said. They kept their voices low, not wanting to wake the children or disturb the adults' conversation. The three men and Mayuko were sipping tea on the other side of the room, and had fallen into what seemed to be good-natured reminiscence.

Kyo and Momiji gravitated to the kotatsu as its warmth spread into the room, which was cooling now that it wasn't full of people. Kyo shot the adults a puzzled look while automatically grabbing Momiji away from Tohru. "Careful," he hissed quietly. "It's not just us."

"I wasn't going to hug her," Momiji protested, squirming under the blanket with Haru.

Kyo looked skeptical. "Sure. Anyway, did you guys know that Sensei knew them?"

"I knew," Yuki said after a moment. "I ran into her when I started high school, and when I told her my name she asked if I was related to them. But I didn't think they knew each other so well."

"Huh." Kyo curled up with his legs under the kotatsu, relishing the heat.

"Don't burn yourself," Yuki said idly.

"I'm not the clumsy one," Kyo muttered back, but neither of them was in the mood to start an all-out fight.

The five of them sat in contented silence, not really listening to the conversation on the other side of the room, as the kotatsu lulled them into drowsiness. Haru was the first to actually fall asleep, surrendering to the heat and the comfort of having his family close instead of worrying uselessly about Rin. When he stirred restlessly in his sleep, Yuki touched his shoulder lightly through the blanket.

"She'll be all right, Haru," he said quietly, and the other boy settled again. Yuki ignored Kyo's puzzled look and closed his eyes.

----------

When Mayuko finally stood to leave, Hatori insisted on driving her home. "I'm dropping Ayame off too, and any of the children--" They turned and looked at the other side of the room, and found that Tohru was the only one awake enough to look back at them. "I guess they're sleeping here tonight."

Mayuko laughed. "I guess so."

Tohru stood up too, careful not to jostle any of the boys, and came over. "Good night, Mayuko-sensei," she said, bowing deeply. "Hatori-san, Ayame-san, good night. Merry Christmas." She and Shigure followed them into the hallway and waited while they put on their boots and coats.

"I'm glad you came, Mayu-chan," Shigure said lightly. "Come again."

She gave him a sharp look and then smiled. "Not on my own."

He pouted slightly. "Ah, Mayu-ch--"

"Good night, Shigure," Hatori interrupted firmly.

"Merry Christmas, Gure-san," Ayame said happily. "It was a lovely party."

"Wasn't it?" Shigure beamed. "Thank you, Aya. I'll see you two at New Year's, then."

"Tomorrow," Hatori corrected him. "I'll come collect the kids. And I'll let their parents know where they are when I get back to the Main House."

"Thank you, Hatori-san," Tohru said. "Get home safely."

----------

When they were gone, Shigure touched Tohru's shoulder to keep her from going back into the living room. "You may as well rest instead of cleaning this all up on your own, Tohru-kun," he said. "You know they'd all rather help you in the morning instead of waking up to find you've done it all alone."

Tohru frowned a little but couldn't argue with his reasoning. "All right," she said reluctantly. Her eyes softened as she looked at her sleeping friends. "Do you think Momiji-kun liked it?" she asked.

"He seemed to be having a good time," Shigure said.

"I'm glad." She flashed a bright smile at him. "Thank you, Shigure-san."

"You're welcome," he replied. "Now, I'm going to go spend some time with my novel."

Tohru laughed. "All right. Merry Christmas." While he headed down the hall to his study, she went back into the living room and settled herself under the kotatsu with the boys, pausing only to tuck the blanket closer around Kisa and Hiro, who hadn't stirred in hours. She touched Momiji's hair lightly. "Merry Christmas, Momiji-kun," she whispered, before folding her arms and resting her head on them. The soft sound of breathing followed her into sleep.

fin.

----------

Fruits Basket is the creation of Takaya Natsuki, and is licensed in North America by FUNimation (anime) and Tokyopop (manga). Used without permission or the intention of making a profit. Please support the original work!

"A Moment of Stillness" © 2003 by Ysabet MacFarlane (ba087chebucto.ns.ca).  
Originally released as "untitled Christmas Furuba fanfic".

Comments and criticism welcomed at the above address.

This story may be reproduced and archived so long as the original text is preserved and the author's name and contact information remain attached. Notifying the author of any such use is an appreciated courtesy. NO CHANGES OF ANY KIND ARE PERMITTED.


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